2 / 10
2
MCMASTER STUDENT OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPISTS RECEIVE TRAVEL GRANTS FOR
THE 2016 CAOT CONFERENCE
established to celebrate and acknowledge the invaluable
contributions and accomplishments of Dr. Elizabeth
Townsend, who was on hand to congratulate Dr.
Desrosiers. This scholar-in-residence program acknowl-
edges Dr. Townsend’s tenure as an occupational scientist
and occupational therapist, and her outstanding leader-
ship as Professor and Director of the School of Occupa-
tional Therapy at Dalhousie University. The Fellowship
celebrates Dr. Townsend’s internationally renowned con-
tributions to occupational science, inclusion, justice and
human rights. Dr. Desrosiers’ career has been devoted to
understanding and overcoming older adults’ restrictions
in daily activities and social interactions – a perfect match
with the goals of the Townsend Fellowship.
The Townsend Fellowship supports a visiting scholar
to galvanize scholarship in the School, investigating ques-
tions related to everyday occupations and their societal
contexts. For this Fellowship, in addition to the public lec-
ture, Dr. Desrosiers applied her expertise and enthusiasm
to support a team of Dal-
housie researchers as they
analysed data related to
participation of people
with neurological condi-
tions in daily activities and
social roles.
Dr. Desrosiers’ contri-
butions to the profession are well known and extensive,
including her presentation of the Muriel Driver lectureship,
the highest honour bestowed by the Canadian Association
of Occupational Therapists. Today, she is Professor and
Vice Dean to Student Life, as well as Secretary of the Fac-
ulty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sher-
brooke and a researcher at the CSSS Research Center on
Aging, University Institute of Geriatrics, Sherbrooke, Que-
bec. The Dalhousie School of Occupational Therapy was
proud to host her as the first Townsend Fellow.
Continued on next page...
...Continued from previous page
T
he McMaster MSc Occupational Therapy Pro-
gram provided financial support through travel
grants to support four student occupational ther-
apists to attend the Canadian Association of Occupational
Therapists (CAOT) Conference, “Inspired for Higher Sum-
mits” held in Banff, Alberta from April 19 – 22, 2016.
Congratulations to the following students who were
awarded travel grants:
Chelsea Tidd (Year 1 student)
•
Cassondra Starc (Year 1 student)
•
Annie Mo (Year 2 student)
•
Holly Robson (Year 2 student)
•
Upon their return, the four students were asked to re-
flect on one thing about attending conference that the par-
ticularly enjoyed or benefitted from. Their reflections are
shared below:
"I really enjoyed the in-depth session on chronic pain
management. The presentation built off the evidence, en-
listing very creative strategies to address all types of clients
who cope differently. I also enjoyed speaking with passion-
ate and creative clinicians throughout the whole confer-
ence!" -
Cassondra Starc, Year 1 McMaster MSc(OT)
Student
“I was most touched to hear the Plenary session on
obesity and a paper presentation by a former Mac grad: an
auto ethnography of mental illness. These presenters were
open and honest about their own experiences as
patients/clients and their subsequent growth into contribut-